Lion Princess
by SkymeX
Summary: Prophesies. Nothing good ever came from them. Well, maybe once, even if it was premature.
**A/N:** _I'm back with another turd! And the best part is, it's essentially the same story again. Complete with Elayne not saying a word in it. Proceed with caution._

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 **Lion Princess**

 **OoOoOoOoO**

It was a normal day in Caemlyn and in the Lion Palace. That is, it would have been, except a star appeared in the sky that morning, and if that wasn't strange enough, then he showed up.

The Queen was in the Throne room, presiding over daily matters, when a man walked in through the door. She was about to erupt about the breach of protocol, but then she looked closer at him. Red hair, and those marks on his arms. There was no mistaking it, it was him. She sat back down, unsure what to do.

He came to stand in the middle of the room. The guard came in behind him shrugging shoulders in explanation. She waved him of. Everyone knew of the man, even if no one really knew who he was. They called him Dragon, after somebody found in some ancient book that those creatures on his arms were called dragons. He first appeared two years ago; tall, handsome, young, and turned the world upside down. No one had seen such power before. He singlehandedly repelled the invasion of the Seanchan on Toman Head, completely destroying their fleet in a battle that whole world somehow, impossibly, saw reflected in the sky. When asked, he disclosed nothing of himself, but only said that much worse than Seanchan was coming and that we needed to prepare. He became a god in the eyes of the people. The rulers tried to keep control, but it was impossible to go against will of the people. So, for the past two years, the world had been preparing. For what, nobody really knew. He himself was not easy to find, he was spotted half a dozen times since then. One of those times was eight months ago, when he appeared in the Cairhien. No one knew what happened there that day, only that at the end of it Cairhien had a new King, old one deposed and in exile. She had to wonder if this meant she was to share the same fate.

He got on one knee, bowed his head and said "My deepest respect, your Majesty."

She was flabbergasted. What was this? As far as she knew, according to the reports that reached her, he never showed any deference to anyone before. If anything, he acted like the world was his. And it would be so, if he wanted it. So far it didn't seem that way.

He noticed the look on her face. "I see that you know who I am."

"I think that there is not a soul in this world that doesn't know of you."

He smiled. "Well then, you shall be the first to learn my name. It's an honor to meet you Queen Morgase, I am Rand al'Thor.

Rand al'Thor. A curious, strong name. She decided to go straight to the matter. "If I may ask, Rand, what is a purpose of this visit?"

"I see that you are worried. But there is no reason, you have nothing to fear from me. Andor is a great country, no corruption, people live free, full lives, and I suspect you had much to do with that." He gave her a reassuring smile. "I am here on a more … personal matter. But before we get to that, I see that the people have been getting ready as I suggested. I am pleased to see that."

Since he was in a talking mood, she took a chance to probe him further for information. "Indeed, though I hardly had anything to do with that. They think you are a god, came to bring us to the new age. But if I dare ask, what exactly are we preparing for?"

He crooked his head a little as if thinking. "Hmm, how should I explain? For the end of the world?"

"The end of the world?"

"It's a lot more complicated than that but, yes, that is as good explanation as any."

That made her wonder. "So, you really are a god?"

He scoffed at that. "I wish. Unfortunately, no, I am just a man. A man with some powers, but still just a man, born to fight the Dark One."

"The Dark One?"

"Yes, he's my, I don't know, arch enemy if you will. And he is pretty much a god. A nasty one." He gave a crooked, boasting smile. "But, don't worry, I've beaten him before. I can do it again. What I can't do is beat him and his armies at the same time. That will be your job."

This was too much to handle at once. The Dark One? The end of the world? It all seemed impossible, yet she could see that every person, noble or not, in the room believed it. She found she herself was not much different. "Why are you telling me this now, when you've never spoken of it to anyone before. Why me?"

He looked around the room then. "Because there is not much time, maybe two years until the fate of the world will have to be decided. Because people deserve to know what they are facing. Because you are Queen of Andor, the most powerful country on the continent. And last of all, because I hope to establish friendly relations with you, in the light of what I came here today to ask?

"And that is?"

He sighed, sweeping a look around the room once more. "This isn't what I wanted to do. I mean I did want it, just not this way. I wanted to make it special, but some unexpected things happened and I have been forced to act. In any case, I don't think it will be all that horrible. After all, I'm not a monster."

He said all this in one breath, and stopped there as if embarrassed. She didn't understand what he was saying, it didn't make any sense. She decided to wait for him to carry on.

He shook his head, in a motion people did when trying to compose their thoughts. "Wait, that didn't make any sense. Let me start from the beginning."

Another sigh and a deep breath. "You see, there are these prophesies about me. They have successfully predicted all the major events of my lives. Most of the time it feels it feels that my life is not my own, that I am just an actor playing a role. Yet it is not something I can escape, I've tried but it always comes back to them. They are, for better or worse a part of my life. And they are always right. Of course, none of them ever made sense, not before, only after the deed is done. None, but one.

Another deep breath. "That brings us to the reason behind my visit. There was one prophecy that always made sense to me. I was sure I knew what it spoke of, that it was fated that way. Turns out I was right, except I completely miscalculated the date. I thought it spoke of the day three years from now, but when I saw that star in the sky this morning, I understood. The prophecy spoke of today."

He was fidgeting now. She didn't know what to make of it. He was the man kings bowed too, yet now he acted as nothing more but a boy unsure of himself.

He visibly steeled himself. "In short, the prophecy says that today is the day on which I will get married."

She gave him a look, wondering what this had to do with her. It was the last thing she expected to hear.

"To a… golden haired, lion Princess." He clarified.

And it that moment it all became clear. The fidgeting, the nervous looks, the rambling. He wasn't here as a man who had world under his fingers. He was just a young man who came to ask a mother to let him marry her daughter.

He got down on one knee again, this time squarely meeting her eyes. "So, Queen Morgase of Andor, may I have your daughter's hand in marriage?"

She knew it was coming and despite that didn't manage to keep her response level. "What?", she disclaimed loudly, which closely matched the reaction of the rest of the room if the mouths hanging open were any indication.

 **OoOoOoOoO**

Three hours later Morgase stood quietly watching her daughter depart. At that first moment it all seemed incredible. But Rand didn't come to Caemlyn to make some sick joke. He wasn't leaving the palace without Elayne. He made that very clear from the start. He wanted it done that moment. The wedding had to happen today. Her plan was to let Elayne pick her own husband. It didn't always have to involve politics. Yet, she had to admit that this was a great proposal. It presented many opportunities for Andor. Marrying him, Elayne would essentially become the second, or even the most powerful person in the world. And there was no denying him anyway. There was some kind of force that worked behind him, bending the world to his will. He promised that he would treat Elayne like she deserved, that he would do everything in his power to make her the happiest woman alive.

Elayne would have to go away with him for a while. He, assured her that it wouldn't interfere with succession, if there was a need Elayne would be back to claim the throne. It was a very good deal. She had to say yes. Then it was a time to tell that to Elayne. She was afraid that the girl would throw a tantrum, considering that temper of hers. For some reason it did not come, it was as if Elayne knew this was coming. As expected though, her brother did throw a tantrum. At the end he stormed out of the palace, and hasn't been since.

Her daughter was Elayne al'Thor now, he said the last name change was also foretold in the prophesy. Rand moved his hand and an impossible hole in the air appeared. As she stood there and watched Rand put his arm around Elayne and guide her toward it, and Elayne look up to give him a shy smile she had to think this was a beginning of a great thing.

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 **A/N:** _This is actually supposed to be a prologue to a much larger story that was supposed to span three books and it was inspired by the idea of parallel worlds which is present in WoT. First would deal with events leading to the "end of the world" in this universe, which is a mirror universe to the actual WoT one, with one difference, there is no One power. And things are not nearly as smooth as Morgase would led you to believe. The story focus was to be Mat, or alternatively Galad. The second would deal with Rand and Elayne in the Wot universe, which is mostly the same as in books and where the two of them go here at the end. Third would bring the two stories together to one big happy end. Sadly, at the moment, I have neither time nor ability to write that. And I probably never will._


End file.
